In many musical environments in which a band, orchestra, combo or other group of musicians perform, the need often arises for some musicians to be able to put aside their respective instruments at a location near to them in the playing environment. In some venues, performers and musicians need to change instruments and often move about upon the stage or within the orchestra pit or other environment. Typically, the space allotted to musicians in such environments is extremely crowded. For musicians playing smaller instruments such as horns, reed instruments or the like, the need to put an instrument aside need not create a significant problem. For other musicians, however, playing larger instruments, the environment simply does not permit the larger instruments to be laid upon the floor area near the musician.
One of the most difficult types of instruments to put aside during periods of non-use in proximity to the musician is the type of instrument typified by double bass or cellos. Double basses and cellos are familiar in the musical environment and comprise extremely popular instruments. In essence, double basses and cellos generally resemble violins in their overall shape but are substantially larger. A typical bass may have a body portion exceeding fifty inches in length and supporting an end-pin extending the bass overall length to seventy-two inches. Similarly, cellos typically include a body portion having a length of twenty-seven inches within an overall length including the end-pin of forty-seven inches. In addition to their extended lengths, double basses and cellos define relatively broad body portions which are formed of a relatively fragile hollow wood construction.
Notwithstanding the large volume, size and fragile construction which characterize double basses and cellos, musicians often resort to simply laying the instrument upon the floor surface near the musician during periods of non-use. Laying such large volume fragile instruments upon the floor area of a crowded stage or orchestra pit raises substantial risk of individuals moving about, tripping over or falling upon such instruments. This, of course, risks injury to persons moving about and risks damage to the fragile construction of the bass or cello instruments.
Recognizing the difficulties and risks associated with this practice of laying large body instruments such as double basses and cellos upon the floor surface near musicians, practitioners in the art have endeavored to provide a suitable type of stand or support to be used in supporting such instruments in a vertical or near vertical attitude. Such devices have included stands which are formed of a pair of parallel base plates joined by spaced apart ribs intended to receive and cradle the lower end of a double bass or cello. Additionally, apparatus have been provided in which a pair of base members are joined by upwardly and outwardly angled planar members forming a “V” shaped cradle also intended to receive the lower end of a double bass or cello. Other stands and support apparatus have been provided in which a small chair-like device having a padded upper portion receives the lower end of the instrument body allowing the C-bout to rest on the padded surface. Still other apparatus have provided a cradle-like base together with a vertically extending post or mast. The upper end of the mast supports a yoke suitably configured to receive the neck portion of a double base or cello.
There arises therefore a critical and unresolved need in the art for an effective and convenient stand or cradle for large volume instruments such as double basses or cellos which facilitate the temporary setting aside of such instruments near the musician without unduly encumbering floor space or creating a risk to persons moving about in the stage or orchestra pit environment.